Rise to the Challenge
by Ziannna
Summary: Seven years after the Cell Games, Vegeta is offered an opportunity that an egocentric Saiyan Prince simply can't turn down... even if it means betraying his family and self-proclaimed friends. •AU •No Buu EVER! •Canon pairings
1. Prologue

Vegeta turned the monitor off and leaned forward on his hands. It took a moment for his mind to register that his hands were trembling. He was not sure whether it was from fear or excitement, but no matter. He, the Prince of Saiyans, had just been handed a golden opportunity, a chance for eternal glory. It was just as he had always known: he was destined for greatness.

Vegeta smirked. He had been careless, but fate was on his side. He had not taken advantage of Frieza's death nor asserted himself as a dominant power in the universe. Instead he had gone to _earth_, had started a _family_, while Frieza's pathetic underlings tried to take over his huge empire. Of course, they had failed. Now they turned to the only warrior they believed strong enough to take Frieza's place: Prince Vegeta.

Vegeta savored the sense of pride that flowed like fire through his veins. He was fated to rule the universe. Kakkarot had just been a sideshow.

In Otherworld, Kakkarot, known to most as Goku, sneezed. His companion's antennae twitched. "This is not good," King Kai whispered. "Not good at all..."

[Insert dramatic theme music, rain storm, and thunder]


	2. Chapter 1

For most, the Anniversary of the Cell Games was an excuse to celebrate. People bought extra treats for their kids. At the bar, customers got extra drinks on the house. The sentient peoples of earth were just happy to be alive. It was even a declared international holiday, one that people actually paid attention to. [Ahem Earth Day] Mr Hercule Satan, the man who saved earth on the day of the Cell Games seven years ago, was famous for doing charitable deeds as a commemoration to himself on this day every year.

The Cell Games Anniversary was also a school holiday. Unfortunately for a certain half-Saiyan high school student, most teachers didn't bother mentioning the day off as they assumed everybody already knew. He had no idea why everyone was full of such holiday cheer as he jogged from where his ride, the Flying Nimbus, had let him off. For once Gohan Son was early because he didn't see any criminals that needed a butt-kicking on the way to school. Once he had verified that there were no signs of mind-control or high power levels in the vicinity, Gohan thanked Dende for the morning off and continued to be completely oblivious. (Dende chuckled to himself, anticipating the exciting day he had in store for his friend.)

So when Gohan got to Orange Star High he was not shocked to see several hundred teens milling around the front lawn. He was, however, a little surprised that they all thought that they would be able to fit through the front doors fast enough to get to first period. Gohan did the math in his head, factoring in average human speeds and their vulnerability to getting trampled. Yep, it was definitely impossible.

"Gohan!! I'm surprised you came today," a girl, a classmate, shouted in greeting

"Why wouldn't I, Penncyl?"

She smiled and brushed her perfectly neat hair away from her face with a finger. "I dunno, I guess I just didn't think martial arts was your thing."

Gohan froze. _Why would anyone relate me to martial arts??_ He reasoned that someone must have found out about Gohan's secret past. About how Gohan's father, his friends, and the child Gohan himself had been the ones to defeat Cell seven years ago, not Mr Satan. What if someone spread the news through the school's extensive gossip network? And they knew his family didn't want the attention? And that's why Penncyl didn't think Gohan would be in school today??

"Heeeeeey Peeeeeeeeeeenn, stop hogging him," another girl whined cheerfully as she and Sharpner joined the group. "What's with his face?" Erasa added, referring to the still petrified Gohan.

Mock whispering, Penncyl responded, "I'd guess that he didn't know about today's special event. I think the martial arts thing scares him!"

Erasa pouted. "That's not very manly you know," she informed the boy who was slowly getting the impression that his secret was safe.

"Maybe he just forgot. He never remembers anything on the calendar." It was was true. All quizzes were pop quizzes to Gohan, who never bothered to write down their dates. He got straight As anyway.

Sharpner snorted. "Yeah, well suddenly finding out that you're about to meet Mr Satan in person would make any guy scared, right?"

"M-Mr Satan?" Gohan squeaked. Maybe he wasn't off the hook after all.

"And more importantly, his daughter!"

"She's our age! And she's a crime-fighter! Isn't that SOO cool?" Erasa added excitedly.

"MISS VIDEL???" Gohan's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Sharpner narrowed his eyes. "Wait, _you_ already know her?"

Gohan jerked back. Of course he knew her. His secret alter-ego, the Gold Fighter, had helped Videl through many tough situations-- gang activity, bank robberies and the like. But he couldn't let muscle-headed Sharpner know that. "Doesn't everybody know who Miss Videl is?" Gohan asked as innocently as possible. "She saves the city and helps people all the time." _She helps people a whole lot more than her dad ever did..._

"I bet Videl had to save his butt once or something." Sharpner gave the nerd a mean grin. Gohan sighed, embarrassed at his _other _alter-ego (wimpy nerd), and his friends took that as a sign of admittance. _Let them think that, the truth would just freak them out, _Gohan thought to himself as the conversation shifted away from him.

_But what's Mr Satan doing at Orange Star High?_Gohan checked his watch. _First period __should've__ started already_. Something weird was going on...

Dende sighed. "You're so oblivious, Gohan. Honestly, it's sad."

* * *

BIBIDDY BOBBITY BUU

BIBIDDY BOBBITY BUU

BIBIDDY BOBBITY BUU

* * *

Gohan's friends were hopping up and down in anticipation. Gohan was keeping his distance and mentally calling himself all the bad names he could think of. (Though with a saint for a father and a paranoid mother, he didn't know many bad words.) Dammit, he had somehow managed to miss that today was the Cell Game Anniversary. Of course school would be closed... Kami, had it really been seven years since that battle? Since Goku died?

A quiet and withdrawn Gohan lingered behind his friends to the field behind the school building. Throngs of students gathered in the stands to watch as the "Great Hercule Satan, the Champ, the Savior of the World" sashayed onto the green, trying to compromise between a swagger and a one-man parade. Someone much gloomier slunk in behind him.

Mr Satan tried to calm his audience but no one, save the girl standing next to him, could hear the hero's booming voice. He was secretly delighted by the crowd's enthusiasm. He had been a little afraid that his daughter's generation would have his daughter's attitude towards him: cocky and skeptical.

Gohan, who was still standing outside the stands, was lost in thought. He was rudely brought back to the present when an oh-so-familiar voice screamed "**SHUT UP**" loud enough to be heard 5 miles away.

Mr Satan cowered along with his audience. He wasn't sure if his daughter meant the bubbling teenagers or _him_. "WAHAHAHA! She got her lungs from ME!" Mr Satan, having quickly recovered recovered from his scare, yelled into the silence. The crowd roared in approval and Videl rolled her eyes. Then she narrowed them in surprise. There was a boy slipping in late and he didn't look like he was in a hurry either. _Guess he's just one of those socially awkward types... is it possible that there's even a single person isn't obsessed with my dad? _She wondered hopefully.

"IT'S TOO BAD I CAN'T TEACH ALL OF YOU KIDS MYSELF BUT YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO SETTLE FOR DEMONSTRATIONS. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLABBIDY BLAH-BLAH!!" Videl's attention slipped from her father to the crowd. She wanted to know about the late kid. What was his story? Not that it really mattered. She was just curious... she never hung around much with people her own age.

Mr Satan: "BLAH BLAH BLAH." Growing up as The Champ's daughter had its perks, of course. She'd always had the best private tutors. She could get away with almost anything. But homeschooling meant that the only other teens she knew worked out at her dad's gym... like Sharpner...

Mr Satan: "BLAH BLAH BLAH." Uhg. Sharpner. She would have to remember to avoid him later. Why did _he _have to go to _this _high school?

Mr Satan: "BLAH BLAH BLAH." There _was_ one other teenager she knew. Or at least she thought he was her age. With all that muscle, it was hard to tell...

Mr Satan: "BLAH BLAH BLAH." But he was the whole reason she was here. He wore a badge from this high school (_How stupid does he think I am not to notice that??_ Videl thought indignantly. _All those times he _insists_ that he won't tell me who he is!_)...

Mr Satan: "BLAH BLAH BLAH" Videl scanned the crowd. No sign of the Gold Fighter. But she wasn't really expecting to see him right away. She didn't want to. That would take all the fun of the mystery out of her hunt.

Mr Satan: "AND MY LITTLE PRINCESS WILL CHOOSE ONE OF YOU KIDS TO PRACTICE~!"

"Eh??" Videl's attention snapped back to the stadium, the kids... wait... had her dad just called her 'his little princess' in PUBLIC? And had she RESPONDED? How mortifying.

"Eh, Videl... pick someone," the Champ managed to yell slightly more quietly. "Pick someone for me to teach--"

Videl was busy blushing (and pretending to herself that she _wasn't_) over being her daddy's little princess. Hastily she pointed to the first person she could think of. The late kid.

It was Gohan's turn to look mortified.

* * *

BIBIDDY BOBBITY BUU

BIBIDDY BOBBITY BUU

BIBIDDY BOBBITY BUU

* * *

Erasa was officially interested. Not only had Videl chosen Gohan, but she was _blushing _when she pointed. AND Gohan had known Videl's name before... (For a normal person that wouldn't be impressive, but _Gohan_ only remembered a name when he actually knew the person.) Erasa squealed internally. Sure, if Gohan and Videl got together, she herself wouldn't get Gohan. But Sharpner, who was convinced that he would marry Videl, would get freed up. That would be even better than Gohan.

Speaking of the Sharpner... Erasa smiled at him behind her hand. He glowered as Gohan was directed through various intimidating and useless poses. The new kid wasn't doing half bad. Judging by Sharpner's vicious expression, Gohan was actually really _good_.

Gohan was actually better than really good. And he was doing his best not to. Who would have thought that it be so hard to do something _wrong_? Videl was watching him more closely every minute. _Dammit, __Dende__!_ Gohan growled in his head. _The last thing I need is __Videl__ tailing Gold Fighter _and_Gohan__ Son!_

_

* * *

_

BIBIDDY BOBBITY BUU

BIBIDDY BOBBITY BUU

BIBIDDY BOBBITY BUU

* * *

Gohan escaped the crowd as quickly as possible when the demonstration was over. Since there were no scheduled classes today, everyone was allowed to leave but most hung around to each lunch together. Gohan would have preferred going home for lunch but he was too hungry to wait that long. At least he had managed to avoid talking to Mr Satan's daughter...

_S**t. _ "Eh, hello, Miss Videl…" _ I spoke too soon._

"How d'you know my name??" Videl demanded. Gohan winced. All he'd said was hello and already the interrogation had begun. (Dende turned on the dramatic theme music.)

"Mr Satan introduced you during the class?"

"You came in _after_ that. You were the only student who was _late_." The corners of Videl's mouth pulled back into a frown. Even if this kid had heard her name, only one other person their age ever called her 'Miss Videl.' That was the person who Videl was looking for. The Gold Fighter. But this kid had black hair. She shot questions at the terrified boy before her as she pondered possible connections between him and the Gold Fighter:

"Have you had any martial arts training?"

"No? Then how the hell did you learn so fast?"

"Why do dress like such a loser?"

"Why is Sharpner glaring at you? You know him?"

"What's your name?"

Videl paused and raised her brows inquisitively. "Um... Are you okay? I don't bite you know."

Gohan chuckled nervously. "N-no, that's not it. Of course not."

_Only now I know why the bad guys squirm when you're questioning them... _How could Gohan explain that he simply didn't want the detective Miss Videl to discover that he was the Gold Fighter? And that he really, _really_ wanted to eat lunch?

"GOHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!" Gohan sighed in relief. For once he was glad that Erasa and Penncyl were hyperactive females. He turned and gave them a big smile of relief.

"INTRODUCE US!" They chimed in unison, skidding to a halt before them. Gohan did as he was told.

"Just like I thought," the socialite suddenly announced with authority, interupting the introductions. She looked over Videl and Gohan meaningfully. "You guys would make a cute couple!" Gohan blanched, shaking his head and gesturing NO at his forward friend. This was dangerous territory.

"NO WAY!" Videl snapped vehemently. How could this blond ditz actually think that? They'd just been _talking_. Gohan shrank from her wrath, but Erasa was taken aback. She had expected denial from a tomboy but _sheesh_. "I mean, just listen to him. He stutters!" Videl added hastily, realizing she must have sounded harsh.

"I don't!" Gohan's voice cracked, ruining his fantastic comeback. The girls broke into laughter. His stomach interrupted their fun. It growled loudly, rumbling and churning audibly before tapering off in a whine. "Can we just go eat please?" Gohan begged.

Penncyl patted Gohan's arm sympathetically through her laughter and mangaged to choke out, "S-sure thing! Let's go, Erasa."

Gohan looked between the girls and Videl. _I thought she was coming with us? ...Guess not? _he thought with disappointment. He'd wanted to get to know her better as a person, not just a crime-fighter. He was a bit curious... surely Gohan wasn't the only person who acted differently with friends than at work? Or crime-fighting, in their case...

"Come ON Gohan. I thought you were hungry!" Erasa grabbed his arm and towed him off towards a picnic table, leaving Mr Satan's daughter standing alone. Videl tried not to be hurt. She was used to people being too intimidated to hang out with her... but it hit her self-confidence like she liked to hit punching bags.

"Miss Videl! Hey!!" Gohan tapped her shoulder gently to get her attention; she flinched. "Uh, sorry..."

Videl blinked. "OH! Sorry! I spaced out, I guess," she said, blushing slightly.

"Huh," was Gohan's reply. _Is he being sarcastic?_ Videl thought angrily. "I thought I was the only one who did that," he said, dead serious. Then he grinned. "Are you coming? We need to know whether or not to try to clear a seat."

Videl flushed with anger. Clear a seat? "Well if it's _trouble_ to have me--"

"What? I just meant..." Gohan jerked his thumb over his shoulder and Videl looked. Sharpner, the girls, and a big jock (whose girth required two seats) were jostling each other for room at the table. "I mean it's fine if you'd rather eat with your dad or something...?" His grin faded into a confused smile and Videl couldn't help but soften at his earnest expression...

So Videl joined them. Gohan, to his delight, got to sneakily pop Sharpner from the bench to gove Videl her choice seat next to the other girls. The three girls got a laugh out of the muscle-y blond landing on his arse in the grass. Gohan volunteered to sit in the grass instead taking the opening next to Sharpner's jock friend. He like sitting on the ground. Videl, catching on that he was just weird, started to learn to ignore his eccentricities like everybody else.

When the half-Saiyan finished his meal, he lay down in the grass and watched the clouds. _Looks just like that time when I went fishing with __Krillin__... and Dad..._


	3. Chapter 2

"I can do better than a boring gi, you know!" Bulma said with exasperation. "You're a superhero, for Kame's sake! You should dress like one. Maybe something like..." She held up a thumbnail sketch of Gohan decked in a cape, helmet with antennae, and Saiyan boots. Gohan tried very hard not to flinch.

"No, really, it's fine!" Gohan said quickly. "I really like my practice clothes!"

Trunks wrinkled his nose at the drawing. "Yeah, mom, that's lame."

"Well, fine!" Bulma sniffed. These boys simply knew _nothing _about fashion. "I just thought I'd suggest it!"

"B-bulma!" Gohan protested. "It's just that gis are more comfortable!" His dad's old friend smiled fondly at his objection. He was so much like Goku at his age. That gave her an idea...

"Hey, it's okay kid. Come by to pick it up tomorrow, 'kay?" Bulma smiled widened and she hummed. _I am a genius._

After Gohan left, Bulma started listing the little projects she had committed herself to. She sighed. _Vegeta hasn't asked me to fix the gravity ship in... like forever! Maybe he's actually grown a conscience and feels guilty about asking me. _Bulma snorted, realizing what she had just thought. _A girl can dream, right?_

* * *

BIBIDDY BOBBITY BUU

BIBIDDY BOBBITY BUU

BIBIDDY BOBBITY BUU

* * *

Gohan was proud of himself. Videl had been attending Orange Star High for two whole weeks and he had avoided giving her any more evidence that he was the Gold Fighter. True, she already suspected something... but he had switched out of her gym class and he always went straight home after school to avoid interrogations. Gohan had even acted stupid in front their friends so they would laugh off any serious discussion of Gohan's alleged connection to Satan City's new superhero. To top it all off, Videl wouldn't be able to say that Gohan dressed like the Gold Fighter anymore because tomorrow he would have a new superhero costume from Bulma.

On the way to school, Gohan's luck ran out. He had just been thanking Dende for the morning off ("False alarm again, my friend," Dende murmured with a sly grin) when two masked men, holding guns and bags full of stolen goods, ran out in front of him. _I take it back, Dende! _There was no way he'd have time to transform into a Super Saiyan with the criminals right in front of him. _I wish Videl were here... she could handle these guys, no problem._

"Out of the way kid!" The thicker man growled; he tried to shove Gohan aside. Gohan didn't budge.

Gohan wished he had thought to stop by Bulma's place in the morning instead of after school. _Oh well. I have to do something. _

_------------------------_

_**scchhhh** Videl! There's a kid facing off against two armed criminals! Two blocks from where you are. *scchhh*_

_  
"The Gold Fighter?" Videl demanded crossly into her communicator watch._

_***schhhhh* Nah, black hair. *chhscchhhh**_

_"Coming!" Videl was already running. Black hair? No, it couldn't be... Gohan, could it?_

_------------------------_

Gohan removed the guns from both men's hands, moving so fast that to human eyes he appeared not to move at all. He switched on the guns' safety and dropped them behind him. He could have squeezed the barrels shut, but didn't want anyone remembering the kid who had crushed guns in his bare hands. "You're unarmed. Give up," Gohan advised.

"Wha-What the hell??" The man who had tried to push Gohan stared at his empty hand. "Punk!"

"_I'm_ the punk?" Gohan asked in a bored tone. "You two are the ones breaking the law." He settled into a fighting stance. Maybe he could intimidate them with some posing... _Guess not_, Gohan thought as both men charged him at once.

_Kami, it IS Gohan!! _Videl realized as she raced towards the gathering crowd. Had he actually just knocked that guy into the pavement with one hand? _Oh no! _The other guy was aiming a punch at her classmate's face while he looked at the man on the pavement with concern.

_I didn't hit him too hard, did I? _Gohan expanded his senses, concluding from the criminal's ki that he had a concussion. _I guess I should dodge that other guy's punch though. _

"GOHAN!" Videl yelled.

The shout jarred his heightened senses -- that voice belonged to a familiar ki, and it felt terrified!

"Gohan!" Videl yelled again. "Duck!" He didn't. He was very confused. Videl had gone from terrified to furious. What had he done now? Only when Gohan saw that Videl was beating up the second criminal did he realize she wasn't angry at him. _Did I forgot to dodge?_ Gohan thought. It would explain why he was sitting on the ground. But why had her ki exploded with fear and rage like that?

"Gohan, you okay?!" Videl, one foot resting on the head of the prone criminal, anxiously looked over her shoulder, expecting him to be knocked out or worse. That punch had hit him square in the nose.

"Yeah, thanks Videl!" Gohan chirped.

Videl's eyes popped. "You sure know how to take a punch." She reached out a hand and pulled him to his feet. "Kami! You're hands are like steel!"

"Wha-? No they aren't!" This was bad. Just how much of the fight had Videl seen?

Videl narrowed her eyes. Her Gold Fighter suspicions aside, everyone knew that Gohan was more athletic than he pretended to be. He outdid Sharpner in gym without ever trying, according to the amused Penncyl. Erasa lamented that he wore baggy, long-sleeved shirts and sweatpants which could easily hide a built physique. And of course there was his performance at the Cell Games Anniversary three weeks ago...

"V-videl? Could you let go of my hand?" Gohan wanted to get as far away from that suspicious look as fast as possible, it made him nervous.

Videl blinked and blushed with embarrassment. But she had to go through on this hunch. "Only if you promise me something." Gohan tugged uselessly at his hand. "You have to enter the World Martial Arts Tournament." She glowered. "Promise!"

"Huh? B-but, I can't fight!"

"Not that I believe you, but I can teach you, if you want. Or get my dad to teach you."

"It'll get in the way of my schoolwork!"

"Bull." Videl rolled her eyes.

"My mom definitely wouldn't let me!"

"I'll talk to her. I'm Mr Satan's daughter, people always listen to me." Videl tried not to go ga-ga over his pleading puppy-dog look. Gohan was such a little kid sometimes!

Gohan couldn't explain that Chi Chi would throw a fit if she found out he was friends with Mr Satan's daughter. He looked between their entangled hands and her determined face. He was trapped.

* * *

I really got annoyed at the Buu saga… first they named the villains after children's rhymes, then Gohan's plain lame, Goku comes back AGAIN, etc. Honestly, how could they make such a fuss over Gohan's "hidden power," especially since Gohan just goes *poof * I don't like fighting anymore so I'm gonna be "a scholar."

Blerg, I no like, so I change. That's the game plan… plus Vegeta taking over the universe =D

Please review!!


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